*A favorite of John Carter Jr. — originally posted November 6, 2018*
STORY BY JOHN CARTER JR.
Stanley Kubrick is known for being one of the great artists of the modern era. His ability to create consistent masterworks over the span of his career never ceases to provide an accurate image of this. From A Clockwork Orange to Full Metal Jacket,these films have changed filmmaking forever. Kubrick’s Filmography is filled with films ranging in topic and emotions elicited. There is one feeling that Kubrick often relies on and delivers in his films: cognitive dissonance. He is also known for his distinct style of camera work. The 1980 Slasher classic The Shining is not immune to these traits.
The film opens with panning shots of Mount Hood, the location the film was shot at. These cold, large, and quiet shots set the isolationist tone the film later becomes known for. The most fantastic and iconic example of the excellent camera work is this birds eye shot of the model hedge maze.
This follows the film’s protagonist — Jack Torrance –peering over the model stalking his prey, his wife, Wendy, and his son, Danny. This is a deliberate move by the director to convey the feeling of looming fear. It is one of the first examples of dissonance as well — with Wendy and Danny having fun playing in the actual hedge maze just outside the Overlooks doors.
Character design is of major importance, especially when applied to the camera work of this film. Many of the shots of Jack’s face extenuate the corrupted and wicked demeanor of the character, Jack Nicolson has a naturally wicked looking smile that works perfectly for this performance and adds to the overall aesthetic of the character. This scary smile contrasted with Jack’s seemingly sane personality causes the aforementioned feeling of dissonance to occur as he is shown around the Overlook for the first time. During this time frame, we also begin to learn more about the passive natured Wendy and supernaturally gifted Danny who quickly makes a connection with Chef Dick Hallorann.
The Shining is in simple, a power that encompasses a range of abilities concerning the mind. Those of which are predominant in the film are Clairvoyance, Telepathy, Precognition or Divination, and Retrocognition. The Shining can also describe a location, in that a place where supernatural oddities occur. During the one on one conversation with Danny, Mr. Hallorann, who has the same abilities as Danny, says this to the young shining user:
“It’s just that, you know, some places are like people. Some shine and some don’t. I guess you could say the Overlook Hotel here has somethin’ almost like shining.”
This would later intensify the malevolent fear growing in Danny while living in the isolated institution. Danny transitioning from his original personality to that of his imaginary friend Tony is a sign of the deeply disturbed stress he was under, so much distress that Tony presented himself solely through Danny. Whether Tony’s origins are from the Shining power or his Mind are unknown but we do know that Tony’s is much more perceptive to the potential of the Shining than Danny is. One could read the hotel being able to use Psychic/Shining powers of its own, projecting visions and housing spirits.
From Daddy dearest to the ghostly young twins or the decaying zombie woman, this film quickly picks up the pace in its second act. The corruption of Jack happens as we learn more about the Overlook and its insidious intent. It seems as if the Hotel itself wants to consume people, and in order to join the party, one must be willing to kill their loved ones. Throughout the film, we see Jack rapidly becoming more crooked and angry, although his comments concerning his wife and his apparent drunken abusiveness of Danny give the audience a little theory on how the overlook selects who it wants to join its ranks.
Some fans of The Shining wonder why the Spirits of the hotel hadn’t reaped the souls of the other Torrance’s or even Dick Hallorann (a Chef who has worked for the establishment for years), my theory is that the discernment by the spirits of the hotel is determined by the previous acts or feelings of negativity in a person. These can include and are not limited to:
Shame
Hate
Contempt
Rage
Infidelity
Murderous Ideation
This is seen in many different spirits and all in Jack himself. Jack tries so very hard to prove himself to the previous occupant of the position he was in (Mr. Grady) and the other spirits but is ultimately defeated not by any individual but by the bitter cold, which proves to the Spirits that he deserves to join them. He pushed himself to his own death in order to satiate the hunger for victims. In the end, our dear protagonist gets his happy ending being the life of the party at the center of 1921 photo in the overlook hotel ballroom. Home at last.
I rate this film 9/10 for emotions elicited, excellent camera work, and character design.
The Shining and other films are available on the Fort Hays State Movie Channel which is free to Students here on campus: https://movies.fhsu.edu/#/browse